[jorhodes]

I have an 06 Elise (polar blue, tour pack, optional wheels, LSD with traction control) that I have been driving regularly weekdays from home in Bellevue to U. of Washington campus in Seattle (about 13 miles each way). The car now has about 650 miles on it.

Friday, Feb. 3, the driver's side door came open as I was coming out of my driveway. I stopped on the street and closed it again, but it pushed open. I closed it a couple more times, each time more firmly, and at that point it no longer pushed open so I drove on. I made one shopping stop on the way to school and as far as I recall the door opened, closed, locked, unlocked, and opened normally. Then at school I closed and locked the door normally. All the locking operations were with the fob and the power locks, as I have been told the mechanical door locks are redundant--or extra protection perhaps.

Then, upon leaving to go home I opened the door and got in to drive away. However, the door did not latch. Then I closed it several times, more and more firmly, and could not get it to latch. So finally I actuated the key fob and the lock to try to keep it closed. That did keep it closed--so much so that I could not get the door open again. When I got home, I crawled across the passenger seat and out the passenger door.

Monday morning I called my dealer, Park Place Ltd., and took the car to them (entry and exit via passenger door). They could not open it right away. They said they had had several cars with door lock problems, but mine was the most severe they had seen. They kept the car overnight and by this morning the locking and latching mechanism had been repaired. The mechanic said he had to file some parts to get it to work, and then he lubricated it well. They have an order in for some replacement locking mechamism that is supposed to be an improvement on the original.

Anyone else here have a similar experience? I only learned that there is no mechanical backup for the electrical locking mechanism when I took delivery of the car (Jan 3 as I recall) and I said to the salesman at the time that I did not like that idea. Little did I expect to have a problem with it so soon.

Also, they are ordering for me some kit to improve the AM radio reception.

John from Bellevue